Preserving apparatus.



0. H. MOHR. PRBSERVING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED DEO. 5, 1911. 1,073,276, Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w/r/'vfssfsf Y iwf/won 0770 /Va/ff'.

www@ v fzfmpwfa'm fromme. l

erro n. nenn, er ser ranncrsca csriiroams.

rnnsnsvme .ernennt-rs..

'Speclcation of Izetters Patent.

To all wir/m, t may concern.: Y

Bc it known that I, H. Monk., a citizen of .the United-States, and a resident 'of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain V new-and useul Improvements in Preserving i a predetermined value.

Apparatus, of which specification. l

Theinvention relates to preservers which .the iellown'g f is Va E are used for preserving' food and otherproducts by inclosin'g them in -a vacuum chamber. i

av prserver with means'v for throwmg thevacuumizing apparatus into operationwhen i the door of the preservingohamber is closed.

Another object of the invention is to pro-3 vide means for automatillythrowing the exhausting apparatusoutof operation when: 'the vacuumV within the chamber has reached Another object'of the invention is to pro-1 vide means for automatically throwingthelf "exhausting means into operation should the; vacuum Within the chamber be reduced., by; leakage or other means. i

A further object of the invention is'fto, provide means for introducing dry air `into the chamber.

` This4 device'possesses other 'advantageous 'fea-tures, which, with the foregoing will beV setfcrth at length in the following description Where I shell outline in full that formA of embodiment of the invention 'which- I- have selected for illustration. in the .draw-v ings accompanying and forming part ofthe present specication. The novelty .of-'the invention will be included in theclaims'suc-i ceeding said description. From'this'it will be apparent that I do not-"restri'myself to .the showing made byfsnch 'drawingsahd' descriptions, 'as I may adopt many varia*- tions Withln the scope of Tuy-invention.

' Referring` 'to rthe drawingst-Figure 1 is A .a general frontelevntion of the preserver ofv myl invention, "several of thez parte being broken away .to disclose parts i'n the interior. 1 Fig. 2 is a detail of the means employed for automatically opening. and closing the eircuit which furnishes the power to -drive the exhausting means. Fig. 3 'is a fragment-ot the door and locking means und a portion of- -the wallof the-chamber@ F i 4 is a vertical? section throu h a portion o fthe door and.

the [Well of e chamber adjacent thereto..A

` Appui-.men nica nem'bers, 1911. seriameesaoss. v

i Fig. 5 is enend .view'iof thedoor lockingratented sept. ie, 1913. V

`means,. showing the means employed for simultaneously closing or opening the power circuit as the door is closedor opened.. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic representation .of the power circuit and controlling devices.

The preserver consists generally of 'a eas- 'ing or box-like 'structure 2 preferably formed of Wood and finished on the exterior in any suitable manner. VWithin this casing and preferably at the upper part thereofis Y the preserving chamber 3. jThe chamber 3 The object of the invention is to `rovide' is generally entirely inelosed in the casing, 'with the exception of the front face thereof,

which is exposed. The 'chamber -is preer-- locked, a vacuum may be formed therein. gage 5, connected to the chamber A vacuum 3 is genera ly arranged on the front of the 'preserver to indicateithe amount of vacuum within the chamber.

Within the casing ivnd below the chamber 3 is a compartment which is generally closed by adoor 6, and in which 1s arranged the mechanism for exhausting the air from the chamber. This-mechanism preferably consists of an exhaust pump 7-driven by an soV electric motor 8. The suction pipe 9 of the pump extends upward into the chamber and -m'ay be rovided on its upper end with a check va v e 12, which acts to prevent leakage into the chamber through the-pump, When the' pump is not in operation.

Access is gained tothe chamber 3 by opening the door f1, Vwhich is preferablycircular in form, 'as this form adapts itself more readilyto form-ing .van air tight closure. -The chamber is provided with an outstanding oirculariange 13 within which the door seats itself when closed. The door is hinged to the chamber at one side of the door opening so that it may be easil vmoved to open and closed positions. Seate' 'in the front Wall ofl the chamber and projecting' therefrom is a packing ring 14f of softjmeterial, arranged within andconcentric `with the lange 13'.4

' The door is-Preferably provided on its' inner `face 'with a' circularproJectiou 15 adapted engage the packingri when the door is' 1n the closed position an -for'm an `air-t' ht` joint. y hedoor is provided with means or locking 1t 1n the closed "position1-and for pressing it against the packing ring so that a hermetic'seal is assured. In the present illustration this means consists of a substantially cylindrical element 16, arranged on a rod 17 extending radially of the door, which. is adapted to engage the hooked element 18 on chamber Wall. The locking piece 16 is provided with a slot or cut-away portion at the center, said cut away portion extending substantially to the axis of the cylinder.

When the door is in condition to be swung open the base 21 of the groove lies substantially parallel with the face 22 ofthe hook, and when in this position .the handle 23 stands approximately at a right angle to the door. -When the door is to be locked the This movement partiall handle is moved to the horizontal position, the door closed and the handle depressed.

rotates the cylindrical element 16 and brings the curved surface 24, thereof in Acontact with the curved surface of the hook. The surface 24 is vformed eccentric `so that lthe movement of .The valve is operably connected to the rod 17 so that a movement of the handle op-` crates the valve. When the handle is in the depressed position and the door is locked, the valve isv closed; and when the handle is raised to unlock the door, the valve is opened and the vacuum in the chamber destroyed.

I have also provided means for closing the electric circuit through the motor when the door is'A locked. This operation is performed automatically with the locking of the door, thereby obviating the danger that the person using thepreserver might over- 26 on the casingadjacenthe end ofitelocking cylinder 1 6, and have provided the look the starting of the motorafter the door has been locked. In the present construction I have arranged a two button snap-svg s arms or wings v27j-'28 onthe c linder 16 which engage and operate'the switch las the handle is moved to lock or release the door. When the handle is depressed the wing 27 engages and presses against the button `29 and thereby closes, the switch and starts themotor. When the handle is moved ,to the horizontal position the wing 27 moves away from' button 29 and the wing 28 presses againstthe button 31 to open the switch.

Means are also provided for automatically opening and closing the circuit when the i vacuum. within the chamber'reaches certain predetermined values. Below the chamber and 1n commumcatlon therewlth 1s arranged a closed receptacle 32v having corrugated l sides of relatively thin metal, so that it may vary its len th with variations in internal pressure.V Slnce this receptacle 32 loperates inthe nature of afdiaphragm it will be hereinafter termed a diaphragm for'the purposes of convenience. The top and bottom `walls of the receptacle 32 are rigid, the sides of the receptacle possessing expanding or contracting qualities, so that the bottom of the receptacle'moves vertically with variationsin pressure. Arranged belw the receptacle is a cross bar 33 which is connected to the bottom of the receptacle so that it moves simultaneously therewith. This cro-ss bar 33 is pivotally connected to a lever 34, supported at one end on the stationary bracket35 and connected at the other end to the operating member 36 of a jump switch 40 which is placed in theelectric circuit. The lever is supported in its'lower position by a hook 37 so that the weight thereof and the prelssure ofthe springs which tend to hold it depressed, do not fall on the diaphra m. y A

It 1s evident that as the pressure within the chamber is reduced, the bottom of the diaphragm chamber is raised, thereby raising the outer end of the lever and opening the switch 40. The cross bar 33 is pressed downward against the action of the diaphragm by the coiled springs 38. These springs are held in position by bolts 39 secured to the top of the diaphragm chamber and loosel itted into the cross bar, so that the cross ar maymove vertically with respect to the bolt. The downward pressure,

of the springs on the cross bar is regulated by the nuts 41. By this means the control mechanism can be setto automatically open the switch and stop the motor when the desired vacuum is obtained. Similarly the mechanism is arranged to close, the switch when the vacuum within the chamber has been lessened. In' the present' device-the mechanism is arranged to open the switch when a twenty six inch vacuum is obtained and to close it when the vacuum drops to fifteen inches.

It is ugderstood that Vthere are two #switches inf'the electric circuit withinv the device, one of the switches being closed only when the door is locked and the other when would have a tendency to contaminate other foods in the chamber, if the contact was over any great length of time. In order to ercome this possible diiculty, I arrange fthe side of the casing, a receptacle 42 Vno'zaave v i f which is in communication with the interior of the chamber through the conductor 43.

This conductor is provided with a needle and the chamber.

valve 44, arranged between the receptacle I .Within the receptacle 421s placed a quantity of moisture absorb- .ing substance, such as calcium chlorid so that the moisture in the air passing into the chamber is extracted therefrom and only dry air is admitted. l

The needle valve 44 can be adjusted to al? low the air to passinto the chamber at any desired rate. In this manner dry air is slowly admitted to the chamber, and when the vacuum therein reaches a certain predetermined minimum, the exhausting means is thrown into operation to extract the moist air and raise the vacuum to the predetermined maximum. By this means a substan door to throw the exhausting means into.

operation.

tially perfectly dry vacuum is continually maintalned.

I claim: l p 1. In a preserving apparatus, achamber,

a door to said chamber, an exhausting means and means operable by the locking ofsaid v 2. In a preserving apparatus, an air tight chamber provided with a door opening, a door closing said opening, a suction .pump connected to saidlchamber, means for drivin 'said suction pump and meansadjacent sald door for throwing the pump into operation as the door is locked, said .means being actuated, 'from the locking means.

3. In a preserving apparatus, an air tight chamber provided wltha dooropening, a

door engaging 'said' opening, means for locklng said door in the closed positlon, means for exhaustingthe air from said chamber and means operable by the unlocking of the door, for throwing the exhausting means out 'of-operation.

4. In apreserving apparatus, an air tight chamber provided with a door opening, a door adapted to close said opening, .means forlocking' said door in the closed position,

-' va .suction pump for exhausting' the air from said chamber, means adjacent saidqlocking vmeans forthrowing thesuction pump out of operation andmeans on the locking means adapted to engage said contr'ollingmeans Afor throwingthe pump-rout. of operation. as

r the door is-unlocked. l-.J-

, 5. In 8 Preserving a paratusianfir tight;

chamber provided wit a'idor io'p'ening, a

door adaptedto' close said opening, means fer locking said dear. is amused position means for varying the pressure within said chamber and means operated by the unlocking of the door for establishing communication between the chamber and the latmosphere.

1 6. In a preserving apparatus, an air tight chamber provided with a door opening, a

door adapted to close said opening, means for locking said door in the closedposition, means for varying the pressure within said chamber, a Valve for establishing communication between the chamber and the atmosphere when the door is unlocked, and means operative by the locking, of the door for closing said valve.- v

7. In a preserving apparatus, a chamber provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening, means for locking the door in the closed position, a suction pump for exhausting the air from said chamber,

anelectric motor for driving said pump, an

electric .circuit connected vto said motor, a switch in said circuit adapted to be'automatically closed as the door is locked and a switch in said circuit adapted" to be automatically closed and openedwhen the vacuum within the chamber' reac'hes certain predetermined maximum and minimum values.

8. In a preserving apparatus, a closed chamber, means for exhausting the air fromI said chamber, automatically operating means for throwing said exhausting means out of operation when the vacuum within the chamber reaches apredetermined value, means for admittingdny air to said chamber and means for automatically throwing the exhausting means into `operation when the ,vacuum in the chamber reaches a certain lof the door for opening Said circuit. i.

In testimony whereof, -I have hereunto Iset my hand vat San Francisco, Cal., this 29th day of November 1911.

y. 'OTTO H. MOI-IAR. '.In presence o f- H. G. Pnos'r,

, .1?. S. PrDwELL. 

